


Cameron of Ardroy's Last Goodnight

by regshoe



Category: Flight of the Heron - D. K. Broster
Genre: Ballads, Child Ballad 195: Lord Maxwell's Last Goodnight, Filk, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-17 20:54:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29106651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/regshoe/pseuds/regshoe
Summary: A reworking of the traditional ballad 'Lord Maxwell's Last Goodnight', about Ewen's departure from Scotland and his farewell to Keith.
Relationships: Ewen Cameron/Keith Windham
Comments: 7
Kudos: 3





	Cameron of Ardroy's Last Goodnight

**Author's Note:**

> While listening to ballads recently, it occurred to me that the words of 'Lord Maxwell's Last Goodnight' ([Child ballad 195](https://sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/child/ch195.htm)) have a lot in common with _Flight of the Heron_... and so, inspired by Luzula's [filk balladry](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23483335), I decided to write that version.
> 
> This is based on [June Tabor's version of the lyrics](https://mainlynorfolk.info/june.tabor/songs/lordmaxwellslastgoodnight.html). Tabor has recorded the ballad twice with slightly different melodies, [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-6r7OJTRYw) and [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QafZm1SYKmQ). Each verse of this melody goes to two verses of Child's ballad-metre arrangement of the lyrics, so that's how I've written them out here. The verses skip around the plot of parts four and five of _Flight of the Heron_ a little, but will hopefully make sense enough!
> 
> I've preserved a couple of Scots words from the original, so should point out that 'aye' in verse four means 'always', and that 'gotten' in verse two is not an Americanism. :) I've assumed 'Ardroy' is pronounced with the stress on the second syllable—although canon doesn't give a definite pronunciation, this follows the pattern of Ardgour, Ardrossan etc.
> 
> Child says of this use of the word 'goodnight' that it ' _is to be taken loosely as a farewell_ '—I think here it's Ewen's (merely temporary) farewell to Scotland, but also his 'last goodnight' to the dying Keith.
> 
> Thanks to Luzula for beta reading!

'My dear Ardroy, if you could stay about your father's house  
Free from fetters and a prisoner's fate; in my arms I'd thee embrace  
Ah, then I might have kissed your mouth, and been no more your enemy.'  
'I thank you, my dear, for your kindness; trust me, I may not stay with thee.

'For I have risen for my Prince, the white rose and the Stuart cause  
My Cameron heart did still incline to loyalty's greatest laws  
So by Lochiel's side I fought, and all for him such strife to see  
But George has gotten what he has sought; trust me, I may not stay with thee.

'Adieu, Glen More, my proper place; adieu, adieu, Lochaber fair  
Adieu, my house, my own Ardroy, and my dear lochside there  
Adieu, Beinn Tigh's high peak so fine, and Loch Lochy's bank where the oak is bonny  
Adieu, my home and my only joy; trust me, I may not stay with thee.'

Now he has taken his good gold ring, with fetterlock and lion's head  
Says, 'Take you this, my own dear love, and aye have mind of me.  
By you I've gained a greater thing, and your true friend I'll always be.'  
But no more "always" would they get; 'Trust me, I may not stay with thee.'

The moon was bright, the ship was clear, the young laird went away  
But his dearest friend was no more there, and he cared not for the safe convoy  
From musket shots and shouts they flew, from Morar sands that shine so white  
Now he is over the flood to France; Ardroy has taken his last goodnight.

**Author's Note:**

> As for the historical Lord Maxwell's 'last goodnight', he returned to Scotland a few years later and was captured and executed for his murder of the Laird Johnstone—strangely not unlike the fate of Archibald Cameron, despite the very different context.


End file.
